Bank teller&#39;s drive-in window unit



BANK TELLERS DRIVE-IN WINDOW UNIT 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28, 1955 FIG.

INVENTOR LELAND W. BELEW 1 l l l lfl h i i M I.

FIG. 8.

1955 L. w. BELEW BANK TELLER'S DRIVE-IN WINDOW UNIT 6 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1953 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR LELAND W. BELEW FIG. 4.

ATTOR N E Y5 Nov. 1, 1955 L. w. BELEW BANK TELLERS DRIVE-IN WINDOW UNIT 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 28, 1955 R w E L E B W D N A L E L ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1955 w. BELEW BANK TELLER'S DRIVE-IN WINDOW UNIT 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 28, 1953 LELAND W. BELEW ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1955 L. W. BELEW BANK TELLER'S DRIVE-IN WINDOW UNIT 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 28, 1953 R vm O E T m w WW V l- W m E flA Nov. 1, 1955 L. w. BELEW BANK TELLER'S DRIVE-IN WINDOW UNIT 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 28, 1953 FIG. 9.

FIG. IO

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1 N VENTOR LELAND W. BELEW Wa d ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofitice 2,722,179 Patented Nov. 1, 1955 BANK TELLERS DRIVE-IN wmnow UNIT Leland W. Belew, Hamilton, Ohio, assignor to Herring- Hall-Marvin Safe Company, Hamilton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 28, 1953, Serial No. 400,663

12 Claims. (Cl. 109-19) This invention consists in new and useful improvements in a tellers window unit and depository receptacle for drive-in banks, designed to enable a bank customer to make deposits and transact other banking business while seated in his automobile.

In recent years, drive-in banks have become increasingly popular because of the conveniences afforded, but they have presented many problems both from the standpoint of safety and security from robbery as Well as construction and operational details.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a tellers window unit constructed so as to afford complete visibility both by the customer and the teller, being preferably designed in the form of a bay provided with a maximum area of bullet proof glass or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convenient tellers working portion comprising a counter which houses an extendible and retractable depository drawer or receptacle, a two-way communication system and such cash drawer units or the like as may be necessary to meet the particular needs involved.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a tellers window unit of this type, a depository drawer which is automatic in operation and including means completely under the control of the teller for extending and retracting the drawer in the course of dealing with bank customers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in connection with an extendible and retractable depository drawer, a wind and bullet resistant cover, the position of which is controlled by the relative position of the drawer, so that when the drawer is extended for purposes of making a deposit, an attempted forceful entry of an unauthorized hand or arm through the extended drawer and into the bay is prevented.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved roller mounting and trackway for the depository drawer which greatly facilitates its extension and retraction either by means of an automatic reversible drawer actuating mechanism or manual control.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic drawer actuating mechanism in the form of an endless sprocket chain actuated by a reversible electric motor under the control of the bank teller, automatic switch means being provided to limit both the extension and retraction of the drawer in the course of its operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in the base member of a unit of this character, a drawer recess so arranged as to house both the retractable and extendible depository drawer and a two-way communication system, the latter being stationarily mounted in a suitable housing in the recess arranged to minimize any interference by the movement of the drawer.

With the above and other objects in view, which Will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the bank tellers window unit from the outer or eustomers side;

Fig. 2 is a similar view from the inner or tellers side;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, and showing the construction of the depository drawer;

Fig. 4 illustrates a detail of the drawer actuating mechanism, and is taken on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the depository drawer taken on line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of one of the lateral control bearings, taken on line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic showing of a typical wiring circuit for the automatic drawer control;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan detail of a modification embodied in a manually controlled drawer; and

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of the modification shown in Fig. 9.

My improved bank tellers window unit is preferably, although not necessarily, constructed in the form'of a bay, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which illustrate the preferred form of window unit. As here shown, the unit consists of a front wall 11 and two angularly disposed side walls 12, preferably formed as an integral structure from stainless steel sheet or other suitable metal having the qualities of weather resistance, and designed to withstand penetration by bullets. These walls extend vertically to a convenient level and are covered by any suitable roof 13, as shown in dotted lines.

The base of the unit represented generally by the numeral 14, serves both as a counter for the bank teller and a housing for the extendible and retractable depository drawer and the electronic elements for a two-way communication system, all as hereinafter described.

The base 14 is bounded on its outer side by the lower extremities of the wall portions 11 and 12, and is provided with a horizontal counter portion 15 which is shaped on its outer edge to conform to the contour of the bay and extends rearwardly a sufficient distance beyond the extremities of the angular walls 12, to afford a convenient working space for the bank teller, as shown in Fig. 2. Each of the walls 11 and 12 is provided with a window portion closed by a pane of bullet proof glass suitably sealed within the window openings, and as will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the lower extremities of each of these windows terminate substantially on a line with the counter 15 so as to afford a maximum visibility both for the bank teller and the customer.

The central portion of the base 14 is cut out as at 16 to provide a transverse channel or recess which extends from the forward to the rear edge of the base to accommodate the extendible and retractable depository drawer or receptacle and its operating mechanism, as well as the twoway communication system, all as hereinafter described. On either side of the channel 16, beneath the counter 15, the base may be provided with suitable cash drawers and the like 17 which are arranged for convenient access by the bank teller.

The entire unit including the base 14 and the window structures is installed and sealed in a suitable opening in the masonry of a bank wall, arranged for convenient access by automobile so that customers may drive up to the window and transact their banking business.

One of the important features of this invention resides in the construction and operation of the extensible and retractable depository drawer, generally indicated by the numeral 18. This drawer is slidably supported within the channel 16 and adapted to be extended through a suitable opening in the front wall of the unit, and so designed that when retracted, the forward end of the drawer 18 completely closes the opening and forms a continuation of the front wall 11 of the unit.

As best seen in Figs. 3 and 5, the channel or recess 16 is lined with opposed vertical side walls 19 and a bottom wall 20 of metal sheet. Longitudinally extending channel irons 21 join the side walls 19 and bottom 20 and support the edges of a horizontal metal partition 22 which is spaced above the bottom 20, dividing the housing into two parallel compartments. The lower compartment 23 extends forwardly for the length of recess 16 and houses the drawer actuating mechanism, as will later appear, while the superimposed compartment 24 housing the electronics elements of the communication system, occupies only the rear portion of the recess 16, behind the retractable and extendible depository drawer 18. As shown in Fig. 3, the channel irons 21 extend forwardly in the recess 16 only a sufficient distance to support the rear compartment 24 which is closed at its forward end by a flanged wall 25 and covered with a top wall 26, its rear portion being closed by a rear wall 27. The walls forming the housing for the electronics equipment may be secured together in any suitable fashion either by bolts or welding, although the front wall 25 is removably secured by screws or bolts 28 as shown, in order to afford access to the compartment 24.

The drawer 18 per se is slidably mounted in the forward portion of the recess 16 and as best seen in Figs. 3 and 6, consists of two opposed side walls 29, a bottom 30 and front and rear walls 31 and 32, respectively. The forward end of the drawer bottom 30 is preferably flanged as at 33 and the corresponding ends of the side walls 29 are flanged as at 34 for connection to the front wall 31 of the drawer. The rear ends of the side walls 29 and the bottom 30 continue straight and are connected to the flanged edges of the rear wall 32, the latter being inset within the rear portion of the drawer 18.

Longitudinally extending reinforcing strips 35 may be secured along the upper edges of each of the side walls 29 so as to afford a rigid drawer structure, the flanged connecting elements of the front and rear walls and bottom and side walls, providing sufficient rigidity for the remainder of the drawer.

One of the important requirements in a retractable and extendible depository drawer of this type is ease of operation with a minimum of noise. T o accomplish this, there must be perfect balance of the drawer and an effective guide mechanism for its sliding movement so as to avoid lateral shifting and insure a smooth sliding operation.

To these ends, I have designed the drawer of the present invention with what might be termed a fulcrumed roller mounting, wherein the entire weight of the drawer and its contents is supported at the rear end of the drawer by a pair of coaxial bottom fulcrum rollers with a pair of cooperating upper rollers mounted on extensions of the side walls of the drawer which operate in upper trackways in the counter recess 16. As best seen in Figs. 3 and 6, on the under side of each of the side walls 29 of the drawer, I provide an angle bracket 36 which is welded or otherwise secured to the bottom 30 of the drawer and each of these brackets carries on its vertical leg, a roller 37 which is located at the extreme rear end of the drawer 18. These rollers 37 are coaxially arranged and their peripheries run on the top surface of the bottom wall 20 of the recess 16, the side walls 29 of the drawer being spaced inwardly from the side walls 19 of the recess to accommodate these rollers.

The upper portions of the drawer side walls 29 are extended rearwardly as at 38 to provide supports for rearwardly extending lever arms 39 which may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the supports 38 at their forward ends. These arms 39 are preferably in the form of channel irons as shown in Fig. 5 and are slidably disposed in the rear portion of the counter recess 16 in a space provided above the top 26 of the electronics compartment 24. When the drawer 18 is in its closed position as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the arms 39 terminate substantially adjacent the rear wall 27 of the compartment 24. A top plate 40 extends across the opposed arms 39 and together with a rear plate 41 secured to their rear ends, forms a substantially inverted box-like extension on the rear of the drawer 18.

The rear ends of the opposed channel irons or arms 39 are provided with coaxial rollers 42, rotatably mounted in the webs of the channels with their peripheries in engagement with the underside of an angle iron trackway 43 which extends across the upper edge of each side of the drawer recess 16. Thus, the weight of the drawer 18 and its contents is distributed between the bottom fulcrum rollers 37 which ride on the bottom 20 of the recess, and the rearwardly extended rollers 42 which engage the under sides of the respective angle irons 43.

Lateral shifting movement of the drawer is prevented by opposed pairs of horizontal rollers 44 which are mounted in suitable brackets adjacent the lower portion of the drawer in a space provided at the front of the side walls 19 of the recess 16. As shown in Fig. 6 these rollers 44 are preferably rotatably mounted in angle brackets 44a bolted to the inner faces of the side walls 19 and they are so adjusted with respect to the side walls 29 of the drawer as to be in constant engagement therewith. The same effect is provided for the upper portion of the drawer by mounting opposed pairs of horizontal rollers 45 in the rearwardly extending channel irons or arms 39. These rollers 45 pass through slots in the web of channel irons 39 and their peripheries engage the inner faces of the side walls 19.

In order to minimize noise, all of these rollers are preferably composed of suitably impregnated fiber material which has a noise deadening effect but at the same time possesses suflicient strength and rigidity to insure accurate operation and long life.

The edges of the front wall 31 of the drawer are extended vertically and horizontally so as to slightly overlie the edges of the drawer opening, provided in the front wall 11 of the unit, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this drawer opening is bounded by a suitable frame member 46 which is preferably bolted to the wall 11 from the inner side thereof so as to present a finished appearance on the exterior of the unit.

The retractable drawer 18 may be operated either manually or automatically but in the preferred form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3-6 inclusive, the automatic form is embodied.

In the compartment 23 beneath the drawer 18, l. provide an endless chain drive mechanism consisting of a sprocket chain 47 adapted to travel over a pair of longitudinally spaced sprockets 48 and 49, rotatably mounted on vertical axles arranged at predetermined locations with respect to the drawer 18. The axle 50 of the rear sprocket 48 extends through a bushing 51 in the counter recess bottom 20 and is operatively connected to the shaft of an electric motor 52 by means of a flexible coupling 53. The motor 52 is preferably enclosed in a housing 54 suspended from a supporting plate 55 which is secured to the under side of the base 14.

The axle 56 of the opposite sprocket 49 is rotatably mounted at one end of an adjustment arm 57 which, as will be seen from Fig. 6, consists of two parallel spaced members which are centrally pivoted on a stud 58 supported on the bottom 20 of the drawer recess 16. The sprocket 49 is rotatably mounted between these two spaced members and its axle 56 passes through their adjacent ends. At the opposite end of the arm 57, the spaced members thereof carry a spindle 59 which is rotatably mounted on an axis parallel with the axis of the sprocket 49, and the stud 58. One end of an adjusting rod 60 is screw threaded to engage complementary treads in one side of the spindle 59, the opposite end of said adjusting rod being provided with a squared head 61 and rotatably supported in a bracket 62 which is fixed to the bottom 20 of the recess casing.

Thus, by rotating the adjusting rod 68 in either direction, the pivoted arm 57 is caused to rotate either in clockwise or counterclockwise direction, so as to either increase or decrease the distance between the axles of the sprockets 48 and 49, to thereby adjust the tension of the sprocket chain 47.

In order to prevent binding of the two opposed members of the arm 57, on the shoulders of the stud 59, I preferably provide a spacer pin 63, the ends of which extend through the spaced members of arm 57 with internal shoulders bearing against the inner faces of said members to provide suflicient clearance for the rotation of the spindle 59.

As seen in Figs. 3 and 5, the rear end of the drawer 18 is provided with a connecting link 64 which is substantially step shaped in longitudinal section and projects rearwardly from the rear wall of the drawer with a depending portion operatively connected to a pin 65 which is carried by and projects upwardly from one of the links of the endless sprocket chain 47. The pin 65 rotatably engages an opening in the connecting link 64 so that as the endless chain travels longitudinally beneath the drawer in either direction, corresponding movement of the drawer is effected.

As the automatic control of the drawer must operate both in extending and retracting the drawer, the motor 52 is of a reversible type having opposed windings 52a and 52b, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8. This diagram illustrates a typical wiring system wherein conductors 66 and 67 are connected to any suitable source of electricity, conductor 66 being connected to the motor 52 and conductor 67 to a double acting switch control lever 68. The control lever 68 is preferably pivotally mounted at a convenient location on the counter 15 of the tellers window and its inner arm 71 is adapted to close the circuit between either of two contacts 69 or 70. The contact 69 is connected by conductor '72 to one end of a switch 73 which is engageable with a contact 74, connected as at 75 to the winding 52b of the motor, by means of a conductor 76. The other control contact 70 is connected by a conductor 77 to one end of another switch 78, the opposite end of which is engageable with contact 79, connected by conductor 80 to the opposite winding 52a of the motor 52 as at 81.

Thus, when the control lever 68 is rotated in clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 8, the switch arm 71 engages contact 69 and the circuit is completed to the winding 52b of the reversible motor 52, to operate the drawer in one direction. The reverse movement of the control lever 68 completes the circuit to the opposite winding 52a of the motor by engaging contact 70, to operate the drawer in the opposite direction.

The switches 73 and 78 are normally closed and are adapted to be automatically opened to break the circuit by the approach of the drawer to either of its extreme positions. In other words, the arrangement is such that when the drawer reaches its extreme outward position, the switch 78 is opened and the drawer remains stationary until the control lever 68 is actuated in the opposite direction. The drawer then proceeds to its retracted position and when this is reached the switch 73 is opened to stop the movement of the drawer.

The location of these switches 73 and 78 and their relationship with the drawer control mechanism is best seen in Figs. 4 and 5 where it will be seen that the switches are mounted on the bottom wall 20 of the recess on either side of the endless sprocket 47. The switches are respectively provided with inwardly projecting flexible arms 73a and 78a, the free ends of which lie in the path of travel of control pins 82 and 83 carried on opposite sides of the sprocket chain 47 and depending therefrom. When the pin 82 contacts the switch arm 73a, it flexes the same 6 inwardly as shown in Fig. 4 and temporarily opens the switch 73. In the reverse rotation of the sprocket chain 47, the pin 83, upon reaching the open position of the drawer, contacts the switch arm 78a and temporarily opens the switch 78. Both switches automatically close upon disengagement of the pins 82, 83 respectively.

Returning now to the drawer structure and its related parts, it will be seen from Figs. 3 and 5 that I provide a horizontally slidable shelf 84 which overlies the open top of the drawer 18 and is freely shiftable longitudinally of the drawer recess 16, between two extreme positions. The shelf is of a length substantially equal to that of the drawer per se and is inset in the drawer recess so that its upper face lies in the same plane with the divided counter 15, to serve as a working space or continuation of said counter when in its rearward position over the rear extensions 39 of the drawer, as shown in Fig. 1.

This shelf 84 is preferably formed of a sheet of metal having downturned flanges 85 at its forward and rear edges and 86 at its side edges. The side flanges 86 carry rollers 87 which are rotatably mounted on the outer faces of the flanges and ride on opposed trackways formed by the upper faces of the angle members 43 which, as before explained, also serve as trackways for the rollers 42 on the drawer extensions 39. As best seen in Fig. 5 at the opposed edges of the side sections 15 of the counter, I provide strips 88 which overlie the rollers 87 so as to retain the latter in their respective trackways during shifting movement. The rear wall 32 of the drawer is provided with an upstanding pin 89 which lies between the front and rear flanges 85 of the shelf 84, and, as before stated, the shelf is freely slidable in its trackway between extreme forward and rearward positions. Thus, if the shelf 84 is in its extreme rearward position, or in an intermediate position such as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the outward movement of the drawer 18 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, for example, would cause the pin 89 to engage the inner face of the forward flange 85 and slide the shelf to its extreme outward position with the outward movement of the drawer.

In this extreme outward position it will be seen that the top of the recess 16 behind the drawer proper, would be completely closed by the shelf 84 so as to prevent anyone from inserting a hand through the open drawer and into the tellers window, the shelf being retained in this position by the pin 89 so long as the drawer is in its outward position.

When the drawer is retracted, the shelf 84 remains in its forward position until the teller manually slides it rearwardly to gain access to the contents of the drawer and when in this position the shelf serves as a counter working space.

As in the case of the other rollers, the rollers 87 are formed of impregnated fiber or other similar material and in order to prevent lateral shifting of the shelf 84, in the trackway, the outer face of each of the rollers 87 is preferably provided with an axially projecting annular raised shoulder 87a, of a thickness to constantly engage the vertical leg of the angle member 43. The material of the rollers 87 is such that the shoulders 87a cause sufiicient frictional engagement with the vertical legs of the trackway 43 to prevent lateral movement, but at the same time, permit the required longitudinal sliding movement of the shelf 84.

At the forward extremity of the drawer recess 16, just inside the window 11a, I provide a transverse angular member 90, having a downturned flange carrying a rubber bumper 91 arranged in line for engagement with the outer face of the flange 85 at the forward end of the shelf 84. As the drawer reaches its forward position, both the drawer and the shelf are effectively halted by the bumper 91 with a minimum of noise.

The outer face 31 of the forward wall of the drawer may also be provided with a rubber bumper 92 so that if the drawer contacts an automobile drawn up in front of the window, damage to the latter will be prevented.

The electronics equipment of the two-way communica tion system is generally represented by the numeral 93 and" is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3', located in the compartment 24 formed in the rear portion of the drawer recess 16. The' speaker 94 is shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 and is conveniently located on the inner side of the window for use by the bank teller. A speaker mechanism 95 having a signal control button 96 is located on the outer face of the base 14 in a convenient location for access by the customer in an automobile outside the window. The wiring mechanism operatively connecting these various parts of the communication systern is not illustrated but is of conventional design.

Inthe operation of this automatically controlled drawer mechanism, the customer buzzes the signal 96 and when recognized by the teller on the inside of the window unit, the teller shifts the control lever 68, closing the switch 70 -71 energizing the winding 52a of the motor 52. The motor sets the endless chain 47 into operation by rotating the sprocket 48 and the pin 65 projecting upwardly from the' sprocket chain engages the extension 64 of the drawer causing the latter to move outwardly and simultaneously shifting the shelf 84 forwardly through contact of the pin 89- with the flange 85 of the shelf. When the pin 8'3011' the underside of the chain engages the projection or lever 78a of switch 78, the switch is opened to break the electric circuit thereby stopping the drawer.

A reverse operation of the control lever 68 energizes the opposite winding 52b of the motor and causes the drawer to retract, the depending pin 82 on the chain 47 opening the switch 73'" upon completion of the retraction of the drawer, so as to break the electric circuit at that point.

As previously stated, the drawer may be manually operated instead of automatically controlled and a modification embodying the manual control is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. Here it will be seen that the rear wall 41 of the drawer extension 39 is provided with a handle 94 by means of which the bank teller is enabled to project'or retract the drawer at will. A suitable lock mechanism designated generally by the numeral 105, is provided for locking the drawer in retracted position to pre vent unauthorized extension thereof. This mechanism, in the form illustrated in the drawings, consists of a fixed angular member 106 secured to the inner face of the wall 41, the projecting leg of the angle being provided with an aperture adapted to slidably receive a bolt mem- I ber 97. A concentric opening or aperture is provided in the web of the drawer extension 39 to slidably receive the opposite end of the bolt 97 and guide the same into a locking aperture 98, concentrically arrangedin the side wall 19 of the drawer recess 16. The end of the bolt 97 adjacent the angle 106 has fixed thereto a second angular member 99, one leg of which is apertured to receive a pin 100 projecting transversely through a suitable slot in the wall 41 and carrying at its outer end a thumb lug 101, a washer 102 being interposed between the angle member 99 and the inner face of the wall 41. Thus, by sliding the thumb lug 101 to the right in Fig. 9, the lock bolt 97 may be withdrawn from its locking aperture 98 to permit projection of the drawer 18. The lock bolt 97 carries intermedite its ends, a washer'103 which is fixed against longitudinal movement on the bolt and between the washer 103 and the angle member 106 I provide a coil spring 104. The spring 104 is under a normal tension which causes the bolt 97 to seek and enter the lock aperture 98 and to retain the drawer in locked position until released by manipulation of the thumb lug101 in the manner heretofore described.

Although not shown in Figs. 9 and 10,,the drawer is provided with the shiftable shelf 84 which operates in the. same manner described in connectionwith theautomatically controlled drawer mechanism. It should also 8 be noted that the roller mounting and trackway arrangement for the retractable drawer of the manually controlled type, is the same as that previously described in connection with the automatic control.

Thus, with either form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a tellers window unit and depository receptacle which will afford a maximum of safety and convenience and is capable of extremely easy operation with a minimum of noise.

From the foregoing, it is believed that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details of structure without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a bank tellers drive-in window assembly, a counter unit including a horizontal working surface, a recess in said counter unit extending transversely from the front to the rear wall thereof, a depository drawer slidably mounted in said recess for projection and retraction through the front wall of said unit, the length of said drawer being less than that of the recess so that when retracted, it occupies only the forward portion of the recess, guide tracks extending longitudinally on both sides of said recess, means on said drawer for engagement with said tracks, a shelf inset in said recess with its upper surface in substantially the same plane as that of the horizontal counter surface, and freely slidable over said drawer from front to rear of said recess, and means engageable with said shelf upon projection of the drawer, to slide the shelf forwardly and cover that portion of the recess immediately behind the projected drawer.

2. In a bank tellers drive-in window assembly, a counter unit including a horizontal working surface, a recess in said counter unit extending transversely from the front to the rear wall thereof, a depository drawer slidably mounted in said recess for projection and retraction through the front wall of said unit, the length of said drawer being less than that of the recess so that when retracted, it occupies only the forward portion of the recess, the walls of the recess extending vertically to provide a horizontal space above the upper extremities of said drawer, extending from front to rear of said recess, a shelf inset in said horizontal space with its upper surface in substantially the same plane as that of said horizontal counter surface, and freely slidable over said drawer, from front to rear of said recess, guide tracks for said drawer and shelf, and means engageable with said shelf upon projection of the drawer, to slide the shelf forwardly and cover that portion of the recess immediately behind the projected drawer.

3. In a bank tellers drive-in window assembly, a counter unit including a horizontal working surface, a recess in said counter unit extending transversely from the front to the rear wall thereof, a depository drawer slidably mounted in said recess for projection and retraction through the front wall of said unit, the length of said drawer'beingless than that of the recess so that when retracted, it occupies only the forward portion of the recess, the walls of said recess extending vertically to provide a horizontal space above the upper extremities of the drawer and extending from front to rear of the recess, a shelf inset in said horizontal space with its upper surface in substantially the same plane as that of said horizontal counter surface and freely slidable over said drawer, from front to rear of said recess, rollers on the bottom of said drawer, engageable with a lower track extending longitudinally of said' recess, a rearward extension adjacent the upper portion of said drawer, rollers carried by said extension, an upper inverted track in said recess above said last named rollers and engageable thereby, and means engageable with said shelf upon projection of the drawer, to slide the shelf forwardly and cover that portion of the recess immediately behind the projected drawer.

4. In a bank tellers drive-in window assembly, a counter unit including a horizontal working surface, a recess in said counter unit extending transversely from the front to the rear wall thereof, a depository drawer slidably mounted in said recess for projection and retraction through the front wall of said unit, the length of said drawer being less than that of the recess so that when retracted, it occupies only the forward portion of the recess, the walls of said recess extending vertically to provide a horizontal space above the upper extremities of the drawer and extending from front to rear of the recess, a shelf inset in said horizontal space with its upper surface in substantially the same plane as that of said horizontal counter surface and freely slidable over said drawer, from front to rear of said recess, a lower track in said recess beneath said drawer and extending longitudinally to the forward end of the recess, fulcrum rollers on the bottom of said drawer, engageable with said lower track, a rearwardly off-set ledge member extending from the rear end of said drawer, keeper rollers carried at the rear end of said ledge member, an inverted upper track in said recess engageable by said keeper rollers, a track for said shelf extending from end to end of said recess, and means engageable with said shelf upon projection of said drawer, to slide the shelf forwardly and cover that portion of the recess immediately behind the projected drawer.

5. A bank tellers drive-in window assembly as claimed in claim 4, including lateral guide rollers adjacent said fulcrum rollers and keeper rollers for preventing lateral shifting of the drawer in said recess.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, including a handle on the rear end of said ledge member, whereby the teller can project and retract the drawer from within the window assembly.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein opposite faces of a common upper track member serve respectively as the track for the keeper rollers and the track for the shelf.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, including a handle on the rear end of said ledge member, whereby the teller can project and retract the drawer from within the window assembly, and a drawer lock mechanism, releasable from within said assembly.

9. In a bank tellers drive-in window assembly, a counter unit including a horizontal working surface, a recess in said counter unit extending transversely from the front to the rear wall thereof, a depository drawer slidably mounted in said recess for projection and retraction through the front wall of said unit, the length of said drawer being less than that of the recess so that when retracted, it occupies only the forward portion of the recess, an auxiliary compartment in said recess, behind said drawer, rearwardly off-set keeper means normally overlying said last named compartment and fixed to the rear end of said drawer within the confines of said recess, a lower track in said recess beneath said drawer, fulcrum rollers at the rear end of said drawer engageable by said lower track, an upper track extending longitudinally in said recess above said drawer and engageable by said off-set keeper means, and means operable by the projection of said drawer for covering that portion of the recess immediately behind the projected drawer.

10. A bank tellers drive-in window assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said last named means comprises a shelf inset in said recess with its upper surface in substantially the same plane as that of said horizontal counter surface and freely slidable over said drawer, from front to rear of said recess, and means engageable with said shelf upon projection of the drawer to slide the shelf forwardly.

11. In a bank tellers-drive-in Window assembly, a counter unit including a horizontal working surface, a recess in said counter unit extending transversely from the front to the rear wall thereof, an auxiliary compartment in the rear portion of said recess, said compartment being of a height less than the depth of said recess to provide a horizontal space above the compartment, a depository drawer slidably mounted in the forward portion of said recess for projection and retraction through the front wall of said unit, the upper portion of said drawer being extended rearwardly in the form of a ledge which occupies the space above said rear compartment and is slidable therein with the movement of said drawer, the walls of said recess extending vertically to provide a horizontal space above the upper extremities of said drawer and ledge, said space extending from front to rear of the recess, a shelf, inset in said horizontal space with its upper surface in substantially the same plane as that of the horizontal counter surface and freely slidable over said drawer and ledge, from front to rear of said recess, fulcrum rollers on the bottom of said drawer adjacent its rear extremity, a lower track extending longitudinally of said recess for engagement by said fulcrum rollers, keeper rollers carried at the rear end of said ledge, an upper inverted track in said recess above said keeper rollers and engageable thereby, and means located at the forward end of said ledge, engageable with said shelf upon projection of said drawer, to slide the shelf forwardly and cover that portion of the recess immediately behind the drawer.

l2. Mechanism as claimed in claim 11, including lateral bearing rollers adjacent said fulcrum rollers and keeper rollers, for preventing lateral shifting of said drawer and ledge in said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,676,992 Bergmann July 10, 1928 1,916,828 Gloria July 4, 1933 2,247,020 Hilckman June 24, 1941 2,582,471 West Jan. 15, 1952 2,591,901 Wickes et al Apr. 8, 1952 2,613,762 McClintock Oct. 14, 1952 2,621,995 Zenner et a1. Dec. 16, 1952. 2,648,300 Beedle Aug. 11, 1953 2,656,013 Ellithorpe Oct. 20, 1953 

